Dragon Age: The Veilguard Concept Art Reveals Early Plans for Solas

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Solas: From Vengeful God to Dream Advisor – Early Concept Art Reveals a Darker Vision

Early concept sketches for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, unveiled by former BioWare artist Nick Thornborrow, offer a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Solas's character. These sketches, part of a visual novel Thornborrow created to help shape the game's narrative, reveal a significantly different portrayal of Solas than what ultimately appeared in the final product.

Solas, initially introduced in Dragon Age: Inquisition as a helpful companion, later revealed his treacherous plan to shatter the Veil. This plan forms the core of The Veilguard's story. However, Thornborrow's artwork depicts a far more overtly vengeful and powerful Solas, a stark contrast to his largely advisory role in the released game.

The sketches, primarily black and white with selective color accents, showcase Solas abandoning his guise of a sympathetic advisor. He's presented as a formidable, almost god-like figure, often shrouded in shadow and immense in size. While some scenes, such as his initial attempt to tear the Veil, remain largely consistent with the final game, many others are drastically different. The ambiguity surrounding these altered scenes leaves open the question of whether they represent events within Rook's dreams or manifestations of Fen'Harel's power in the real world.

The discrepancies between concept art and the finished game highlight the significant story evolution The Veilguard underwent during development. This is unsurprising given the nearly ten-year gap between series entries and the last-minute title change from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Thornborrow's contribution provides valuable insight into this transformative process, bridging the gap between the initial vision and the final product for fans. The lyrium dagger, a key object in The Veilguard, is prominently featured in several sketches, further emphasizing the evolution of the game's visual elements.